Strawberry Layer Cake

This stunning yet easy to make cake has the lightest of sponges sandwiched together with a cream and strawberry filling. It is just as good made with raspberries or other soft fruit. This type of cake is traditionally baked in Scandinavian countries for birthdays and other celebratory occasions where it is known as Bløtekake. The name derives from the way the light sponge layers absorb the rich fruity filling.

Line a deep 20cm/8” round, loose bottom, cake tin with parchment and pre-heat the oven.

Put the flour and baking powder into a bowl. Set aside.

Separate the eggs into two bowls and beat the whites until stiff.

Beat the sugar, a spoon at a time, into the egg white.

Add the vanilla to the yolks and beat into a thin paste.

Fold the paste into the egg white with a metal spoon.

Sieve half the prepared flour into the bowl and mix with the spoon, using a cutting and folding action.

Sieve the remaining flour into the bowl and fold it in with the spoon.

Tip the mixture into the prepared tin and smooth the top.

Bake for 40 minutes.

Allow the cake to cool for 10 minutes then turn it out to cool on a wire rack

Filling and topping

Gently slice the cold sponge into three layers.

Whip the cream until thick. Sieve the icing sugar into the bowl and stir to combine.

Dice the strawberries and fold them into the cream.

Divide the strawberry cream between the two lower sponges, spreading it evenly to the edges.

Place the sponges on top of each other and the final sponge on top.

Sieve icing sugar over the top.

Equipment

Deep 20cm/8" round, loose bottom cake tin

Temperature

200°C, Fan 180°C, 400°F, Gas 6

Cooking time

40 minutes

Excellent recipe which is very easy. I divided the quantity of the sugar between the whites and the yolks when whisking. I mixed everything gently together at the end instead of bit by bit. I have made the recipe using 2 eggs and reducing quantities accordingly and made 12 cakes in a muffin tin to make individual Strawberry cakes. The recipe gives light crisp cakes that can be used where boudoir biscuits are called for. Cakes store well in a tin when unfilled.